Spun a rod in my Craigslist 5.0 Ford motor in the MGB. Considering an aluminum head crate motor from ATK. They are local so i can look over their shop and the Ford crate motors are just too pricey for me. Anyone have any experience with them? Reviews on the net are generally very good.
Just so we're clear, the original definition of a crate motor is a brand new motor built using all brand new parts (including all castings/forgings) and usually (but not always) sold by an OEM. GM started using this term with brand new motors sold under the GM Performance Parts banner decades ago, although GM (and others) have always sold brand new long and short block motors (in crates) through their parts counter.
The term "crate motor" is so misused today as to be meaningless (like "numbers matching"). ATK is a rebuilder, just like Jasper and all the others. I've used rebuilt long blocks from them before and had no issues. Just don't kid yourself that this is anything other than a rebuilt motor.
Foose and the crew at Overhaulin use the ATK stuff regularly.
I know that it's sponsored..bla..bla..bla. But if it's good enough for them!
Should work out Ok I would think.
Live like you mean it.
Fred